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Robert Redford (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)On the Record
Robert Redford joins us to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival. Then, two editors from The New York Times discuss how the paper covers culture in its Arts and Leisure weekend section. Jennifer Jason Leigh tells us about her role in the off Broadway production Abigail’s Party. And on the latest edition of Please Explain, we learn about the evolution of sound recording technology.
The Sundance Kid
Robert Redford is not only one of Hollywood's all-time greatest stars, he's also one of the godfathers of independent cinema. He joins us today for a look back on his career as an actor and director, and the founder of the successful Sundance Institute, now in it's 25th year.
Music:
“The Entertainer” performed by Marcus Roberts on The Joy of Joplin (Sony Classical)
“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by Burt Bacharach
“The Way We Were” as sung by Barbra Streisand on the The Way We Were soundtrack
Covering Culture
New York Times theater editor Patti Cohen and associate editor John Darnton tell us about the paper’s approach to covering culture in the Arts and Leisure weekend section.
Music:
Hanging Up Soundtrack, Tracks 3 and 4
Abigail's Party
Jennifer Jason Leigh describes her role in a new off Broadway production of Mike Leigh's “Abigail’s Party.”
» Visit our Guest Picks page to find out what moves Jennifer Jason Leigh
Music:
“Light My Fire” by Jose Feliciano
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, performed by Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (Arte Nova Classics)

Please Explain: Sound Recording
On this week's edition of Please Explain, we explore the evolving technology behind sound recording...from the early days of wax cylinders, to the digital present. We'll also discuss the cultural importance of recorded sound, and the role it's played in our history. We're joined by Evan Eisenberg, the author of The Recording Angel: Music, Records and Culture from Aristotle to Zappa, and Michael Taft, the Head of the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center. Mr. Taft also heads Save our Sounds: America's Recorded Sound Heritage Project for the Library of Congress.
» Listen to some early sound recordings made on wax cylinders
Music: Sonatine Soundtrack, Tracks 6 and 1
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FDA to Regulate Tobacco?
The Leonard Lopate Show
May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.
- Comments [7]
Video Pick: Elizabeth Edwards
The Leonard Lopate Show
Elizabeth Edwards discusses how to best cope with lifes difficulties in her book Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities.
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Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award
The Leonard Lopate Show
On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.
Leonard is on Facebook
Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.
Barack Obama, Circa 2004
The Leonard Lopate Show
Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.
- Comments [4]
Guest Picks
The Leonard Lopate Show
Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?